


Snug as a Bug

by Maverick



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-18
Updated: 2014-05-18
Packaged: 2018-01-25 12:43:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,934
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1649042
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maverick/pseuds/Maverick
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Okay, picture this," Jeannie said waving her hands. "The year is 1982, and Wrath of Khan just came out."</p>
<p>"That's my favorite Star Trek movie," John interjected.</p>
<p>"It was Rodney's too. Although it had an unforeseen side effect. He became obsessed with bugs crawling into his ears and eating his brain."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Snug as a Bug

**Author's Note:**

> **Written for:** the [Urban Legend Challenge ](http://flordeneu.livejournal.com/20599.html)  
> **Urban Legend #110:** _Bugs crawl into a person's ear, make their home there, then slowly eat their way through the brain._  
>  Written prior to any real knowledge of Jeannie's life or background

  
Slumping back against the couch, John had to admit he was enjoying being back on Earth after the latest near death clash with the Wraith. They'd spent the day at Niagara Falls, letting that wonder of nature mute Rodney's usual nonstop banter. After the Siege, John had made a silent promise to help Rodney check off all those little things he'd never done from his regret list. The fact that he had secretly smuggled in a copy of _Grease_ to Atlantis, (because hello fast cars *and* a Ferris wheel), in the hollowed out back jacket of _War and Peace_ was beside the point. When Rodney had been finally convinced that the city was secure with the cloak disabled and the shield back in place, he had come to John's room to yell at him about his little suicide run and promptly fallen asleep on his bed.  
  
Knowing a good offense is often the best defense, John had the movie cued up and playing as Rodney woke up. Olivia Newton John singing, _Summer Loving_ , proved enough of a distraction to stop Rodney's rant before it even started. Not that they'd actually managed to see the whole movie that night. Rodney started kissing him at _Greased Lightening_ and didn't stop until well after the credits rolled. But he checked _Grease_ off the list anyway, so it just made sense to bring Rodney to see the Falls as well.  
  
Of course it helped that Rodney's sister had settled in Buffalo with her ex-pro football player husband, Jeff. John was trying very hard not to show his excitement about that. Jeff had finished out his career with the Buffalo Bills and now worked in their front office. Jeannie had been his physical therapist when he blew out his knee and he had decided that he wanted Jeannie there to give him a hard time for the rest of his life, or at least that's how he told the story to Rodney and John. Jeff was a really cool guy, John decided, and it only had a little to do with the fact that he'd actually played football with Doug Flutie.  
  
The cool guy and Rodney were currently out getting dinner from a place called _John & Mary's _ that served a submarine sandwich called a Royal with Oil that Jeannie said would make Rodney a very happy man. John figured that no matter how good the sandwich was, this was just an opportunity for Jeannie to grill him about his intentions toward her brother. Of course, it also gave Rodney the same opportunity with Jeff, but John was pretty sure Rodney only agreed to go because of Jeannie's endorsement of the food.  
  
Jeannie shared her brother's wide mouth, potent blue eyes and expressive hands. And while she didn't wear her intellect as a shield like Rodney did, it was apparent that she wasn't lacking in the smarts department. Jeannie handed John a beer. "So he saved your life?"  
  
John smiled. Let the interrogation begin. "More than once. It's a habit we really need to break."  
  
Sitting down beside him, Jeannie narrowed her eyes. "You don't want him to save you?"  
  
John shrugged. "I don't want to keep putting him in the position where he has to."  
  
Seeming to contemplate that for a moment, Jeannie started to say something, then stopped. The expressive frown and soft exhalation of air against his face that followed was pure McKay. He was just used to the more disheveled, grumpier version. She tried again. "He's different now."  
  
John took a swig of his beer. He was pretty sure Jeannie didn't mean it in a bad way, but he wanted to be ready for anything. He knew all too well that the Wraith had nothing on disapproving relatives. "Really? How so?"  
  
"Don't get me wrong, I love my brother and I always knew he loved me as well, but he was never what I'd call a people person."  
  
John snorted. "Believe me, he's still not."  
  
"But when he talks about you and the others, you can *see* that he cares."  
  
John just nodded. "We've all been through a lot together. That's a bond not easily broken."  
  
Jeannie reached out and patted his knee. "I'm glad he's not so alone anymore."  
  
John guessed he passed the test.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Okay, the sandwich was as good as Jeannie had promised. So good in fact that Rodney wasn't the only one making happy noises while eating. They had settled back in the living room after dinner. Jeff had to leave to go coach a junior league football game. John was tempted to go with him, but the uncomfortable set of Rodney's shoulders made him make his excuses. Family was hard, especially when you hadn't seen them for a while. And John wanted to help Rodney reconnect with his sister in whatever way he could.  
  
What John hadn't realized was that he would be goosing the sibling bond along by sharing "embarrass Rodney" stories with Jeannie. He wanted to give her a glimpse of who her brother was now and to let her see what he meant to the expedition, to his team members. To John.  
  
He couldn't give her specifics, but he could tell her how Rodney rode rough-shot over his scientists but that every single one of them, except maybe Kavanagh, would walk through fire for him. He could tell her that while Rodney almost got into a slap fight with an eight year old, he built Jinto a handheld holographic projector so he'd always remember what Athos looked like at sunrise. Of course he didn't call it Athos when telling the story, but Jeannie got the gist of it. And hopefully from the fondness in his voice, the smile on his face and the twinkle in his eye, she would understand just how Rodney had saved him in so many unspoken ways.  
  
And from the look of adoration shining back at him from Jeannie's eyes, so much like Rodney's, he knew that she did. But even better, she was full of stories of Rodney's misspent youth. And John enjoyed hearing every single one of them. He could totally see a six year old Rodney browbeating his teachers with his intellect. He could see him pretending to be C-3PO and trying in desperation to build his own R2-D2 at age nine.  
  
All the while Rodney just sat on the couch, sinking deeper into the cushions being remarkably quiet as his lover and his sister swapped stories. At least until Jeannie started talking about his teenage years. "I think Colonel Sheppard has heard quite enough about my pubescent follies. Why don't we talk about him for a while. Perhaps his over-fondness for turkey sandwiches and Ferris wheels."  
  
John knocked Rodney's knee with his own for that crack.  
  
Jeannie was undeterred however. "Come on Rodney, don't you want John to know about how you wore a hat to bed for half a year when you were fourteen."  
  
Rodney's eyes got big. "You wouldn't."  
  
Jeannie rubbed her hands together in evil glee and smiled wide at her horrified brother. "I would."  
  
Rodney hmphed. "You see this is the reason it's best never to claim your family. They know all your secrets and are just too willing to share them."  
  
John was amused and intrigued. "Hat to bed?"  
  
"Okay, picture this," Jeannie said waving her hands. "The year is 1982, and _Wrath of Khan_ just came out."  
  
"That's my favorite _Star Trek_ movie," John interjected.  
  
"It was Rodney's too. Although it had an unforeseen side effect. He became obsessed with bugs crawling into his ears and eating his brain." Jeannie got up from her chair and moved to stand behind the couch that Rodney was sitting on, letting her fingers tickle along his ears.  
  
Rodney batted her hands away and shrugged. "What can I say? Even then I knew how important my brain was."  
  
John smiled at the interplay between the siblings. "Where does the hat come in?"  
  
Rodney tilted his head back to plead to Jeannie with his eyes. "Please. Don't"  
  
Jeannie just bent forward and kissed the top of Rodney's head. "He wore it to bed to keep the bugs out. It was one of those felt hats with ear flaps." She covered Rodney's ears with his hands.  
  
John did his best not to laugh. "Do you happen to have any pictures?"  
  
Rodney folded his hands across his chest and frowned. "No she doesn't. They were burned long, long ago. Thank you so much for planting *that* image in his head, Jeannie."  
  
Jeannie tugged on Rodney's ears before moving around the couch to sit back down. Her smile, in contrast with her teasing, was wide and heartfelt. "You're welcome Rodney. That's what little sisters are for."  
  
John couldn't keep the laughter out of his voice. "So did you wear the hat out and about or just when sleeping?"  
  
"All the time," Jeannie answered with a smile. "Except when he showered. Then he'd shove cotton balls in his ears."  
  
John snickered.  
  
Rodney frowned. "I'm sorry but you," he poked John in his shoulder to make his point. "Lt. Col. _"don't say Iratus bug in my presence"_ Sheppard do not get to mock my insect issues."  
  
John shuddered at Iratus and nodded. "Lighten up Rodney. I'm just wondering how you thought that hat flaps would keep your genius mind safe."  
  
Rodney shrugged. "I admit it was a flawed theory. That's why I abandoned it."  
  
"So do you still have the hat?" John asked with a wink and a wiggle of his eyebrows.  
  
"No," Rodney squeaked as Jeannie burst out laughing.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Weeks later when they were settled back in Atlantis, John entered Rodney's room with the box that Jeannie had given him before they left Buffalo with strict instructions that they were to open it together when they got back home.  
  
Rodney eyed the box cautiously. "You know, you are really too good at this smuggling thing. If the whole Lt. Colonel thing doesn't work out for you, I think you have another viable career option."  
  
John pulled Rodney down to sit beside him on the bed. "You know me, I like to keep all my options open. Now let's see what she sent us."  
  
Rodney started pulling the paper off the box. "I don't suppose she could have figured out a way to preserve some of those sandwiches, do you?"  
  
"No, some how I don't think a Royal with Oil has that kind of shelf life," John said a little wistfully. Perhaps, he could get them to ship the ingredients on the next Daedalus run because, damn that *was* a good sandwich. Not turkey, mind you, but good. "Hurry up, I've seen you skin and eat an entire Powerbar quicker than you're opening this box."  
  
Rodney elbowed John for that one. Then he took the top off the box and they both burst out laughing. Inside were two matching felt hats with ear flaps and an oversized fly swatter with a note attached that read: _"Don't let the bed bugs bite. Take care of each other and remember you have *family* back here as well. Love, Jeannie and Jeff"_  
  
There was a _p.s._ inside the hat with John's name on it that he didn't let Rodney see. It said, _"John, if you get a picture of Rodney wearing his new hat and send it to me, Jeff can arrange a face to face meeting with Doug Flutie the next time you guys are here."_  
  
Poor Rodney. His sister was evil because *that* was an offer John was going to find hard to refuse.  
  



End file.
